As of 2022, 97% of all codebases relied on open-source code, making it practically ubiquitous in the tech sector. Open-source software is widely known to drive innovation and increase speed-to-market while ensuring that organizations are leveraging the most up-to-date tech innovations. But despite its prevalence broadly, the public sector has been more reticent to adopt open-source practices. Why? Complex procurement processes combined with security concerns mean that it often feels easier for government IT departments to continue using custom-built software by default.

However, avoiding open-source code comes with an opportunity cost for government IT departments. That’s why the United States Digital Service (USDS) created a mission to encourage the use of open-source software in government, in order to “decrease code spend while increasing code quality.” The org has provided approved open-source repositories which government agencies can leverage, including Digital.gov, Code.gov, and 18F.

So what’s stopping your organization from using open source to further your mission? In this three-part e-book, we’ll explain why your agency should use open-source software, we’ll uncover common obstacles and myths, and we’ll outline a few steps to get you started.

Download a copy

You may also like...